ECAC Vocabulary (week 2/13/12) Unctuous Vacuous Subjugate Vortex Antebellum Diffident Nonsectarian Fiduciary Recapitulate Vehement

Unctuous (adjective) unc·tu·ous/ˈəNG(k)CHo͞oəs/ 1.(of a person) Excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily: "anxious to please in an unctuous way". Synonyms: phony – ingratiating – obsequious – creepy After the car salesman went out of his way to flatter her with unctuous comments, she decided to leave the car lot and locate a dealership with a more direct customer approach.

Vacuous (adjective) vac·u·ous/ˈvakyo͞oəs/Adjective: 1.Having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless: "a vacuous smile". 2.Empty. Synonyms: vacant - empty - inane - void - blank - hollow - idle Because of his vacuous expression, it was clear that the motivational speaker had lost his passion and become jaded.

Subjugate (verb) sub·ju·gate/ˈsəbjəˌgāt/Verb: 1.Bring under domination or control, esp. by conquest. 2.Make someone or something subordinate to. Synonyms: subdue - subject - enslave - conquer - vanquish - submit Under the evil queen’s control, the army was forced to attack the surrounding villages and subjugate all citizens.

Vortex (noun) vor·tex/ˈvôrˌteks/ 1.A mass of whirling fluid or air, esp. a whirlpool or whirlwind. 2.Something regarded as a whirling mass. Synonyms: whirlpool - eddy - whirl - swirl - maelstrom - gulf In the latest novel by the up and coming science fiction author, a transparent vortex is responsible for the missing fisherman.

Antebellum (adjective) an·te·bel·lum/ˌantēˈbeləm/ Occurring or existing before a particular war, esp. the American Civil War. Synonyms: prewar – eighteenth-century – colonial Although Antebellum homes are a stunning example of southern architecture, they are also a reminder of a period in U.S. history when vile atrocities were committed again black Americans.

Diffident (adjective) dif·fi·dent/ˈdifidənt/ Modest or shy because of a lack of self- confidence. Synonyms: shy - timid - bashful - sheepish - shamefaced – coy – reticent Joe’s diffident nature made it difficult for her to pursue an acting career.

Nonsectarian (adjective) non·sec·tar·i·an/ˌnänsekˈte(ə)rēən/Adjective: Not involving or relating to a specific religious sect or political group. The club claimed to be nonsectarian; however, the president accepted funding from a large number of republican members.

Fiduciary (noun) fi·du·ci·ar·y/fəˈdo͞oSHēˌerē/ Involving trust, esp. with regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary. Synonyms: trustee - confidant Her aunt will act as a fiduciary of the estate until Sally becomes an adult.

Recapitulate (verb) re·ca·pit·u·late/ˌrēkəˈpiCHəˌlāt/ Summarize and state again the main points of: "he began to recapitulate his argument with care". Synonyms: summarize - sum up - recap – abstract – reiterate When giving a speech, you should always recapitulate your points in order to have the greatest affect on the audience.

Vehement (adjective) ve·he·ment/ˈvēəmənt/ Showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense: "vehement criticism". Synonyms: violent - intense - passionate - hot - fierce – keen – fervent The celebrity was vehement in renouncing the accusation that she had stolen jewelry.